Irregular indeed.

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Last week, Nearly-Former Elections Administrator Isabel Ferreras sent out a Media Advisory letting us all know the following:

The Alma Mater Society of UBC Vancouver (AMS), UBC’s student union, has discovered voting irregularities in its January 2010 elections and referenda. The AMS is taking this issue very seriously and is taking the necessary measures to deal with this matter. An independent auditor has been hired to conduct a thorough investigation. The AMS will be unable to release any further information until the investigation is complete. The AMS’ primary concern is in serving students. As such, the organization will operate business as usual.


Council tonight will address this issue, and presumably key parties will learn what, exactly, the fuck is up.  Meantime, however, you and I and everyone else not privy to this info (which is, it seems a good 90% of hacks) are left wondering what exactly a voting irregularity is.  Because, to me, it sounds like this:

that looks painful.

(See, because the elections were supposed to have been passed, but apparently something wrong went into the system? and now things are all backed up? and we have to seek independent help for this blockag—oh, fuck it.)

YEAHHHH POOP JOKES YEEAAAAAHHHHHH

Freeesssshhh Meeeeatt

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Last night’s AMS Council meeting was full of some fresh hacktastic meat. Those newly elected to hackville are presented to you, along with the others who are in some spankin new positions. We’re looking forward to fun filled year with the new exec and their new nicknames/alter egos…and we’re taking this opportunity to plug the AMS Annual General Meeting, where you can meet them all too! and get fed. Here are some of our doodles from the meeting and your new hacks:

Ben “The Situation” Cappellacci

Fist pump? Check. Fake tan? Check. Ripped abs, oh hell yeah. Will this new hack be Snookin for Love in the AMS? Only time will tell.

Ekat “Smiley Miley” 

If you read her interview with Emails That Matter, you’d know that she chose “Party in the USA” for her campaign song for the best reasons ever..

I think the song that best represents my campaign is the musically post-modernistic piece Party in the USA (replace USA by AMS) by Miley because it artistically embodies my internal struggle with finding myself in an entirely new situation.

If elected, Ekat promised to sing us all Party in the AMS….and we’re holding her to it. Come to Hack Karaoke in the Gallery this Tuesday!

Elin “El Suave” Tayyar

Showed up late, didn’t bring his laptop.  Did bring his campaign manager.  Iiiiiinterestinnnnng.

Okay, so honestly, all we really know about Elin is that he looks good and wears that dang scarf everywhere.  Significance? Affectation?  Hideous neck disfigurement?  TELL US, ELIN.  WE’RE DYING TO KNOW.  Until we have a better reason, we’ll just dub it Man Fashion.  And we’ll dub you…

Jeremy “The Crooner” McElroy

It’s a well-known fact that McElroy bears an uncanny physical resemblance to former N’Sync-er Joey Fatone, but since taking office, he’s followed in Fatone’s privacy-seeking footsteps.  JMac has removed all those lovely facebook pictures of RBF events (& RBF hijinks!) since he began his campaign—no doubt, like Fatone, trying to distance himself from his past.  Of course, Fatone went from boy bands to Broadway, and McElroy’s gone,well, from AMS to AMS.  But you see our point.  And, luckily, because we have Sources, you see this uncanny resemblance too:

We can only pray this will, somehow, be recreated.

A few less well-established hacks made their first appearances, too:

Brittany “Save the Cheerleader, Save the …” Perna, was there prepping for her new job as International Rep.  As a former blond, I’ve gotta say, I’m kind of rooting for Miss Perna here.  She’s said that she’s intimidated to take part in Council—and who can blame her, really?  Our girl was serious in lace (wait, did that make sense?), even though she had to be seated on the periphery last night.  She seemed pretty into the presentation on international engagement, too (which would make her the only one).

Dylan Callow, new CUS rep (well, almost new—he hasn’t signed the paperwork yet, apparently—and how totally like a CUS kid to draw that line) was there for his first big official meeting.  He is a bunny rabbit, and we want to pinch his cheeks.

The only hilarious soundbite of the meeting was the presentation by Colin, head of the Society Act Review Subcommittee … also known as SARS.

Stay tuned for more Council fun as there is another meeting next week to make up for the extended reading week. Hearts and unicorns!

Way to go, UBC <3

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The polls are now closed! While the fun part isn’t here yet (Gallery, 6pm, Results!) we are sure breathing a sigh of relief.

AMS Confidential is so proud of all you hacks practicing safe sex campaigning so hard and barely violating any rules! Way to play nice. While there certainly wasn’t enormous scandal, we enjoyed making you all glittery.

These editors are also proud of our kickass Elections Guru who played it calm, tweeted up a storm, and threw a solid bzzr garden (on a Sunday night, no less). HOWEVER, last we heard the voter turnout was at 6923, which is 15% !!! (Update: we just did the math! Thanks Do Me Now Duncan) We surpassed last years turnout going against a predicted voter apathy. UN-what?

Way to go, Elections Guru. For this, we deem you a sexy as hell dreamboat <3 Also, loads of love to The Boyfriend (aka Chief Returning Officer), Mark, and Will from VFM!!

So hawt.

Gerald Deo Photo

3 hours!!!

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There’s only THREE hours left of voting. Get your vote on, be sexy, and cast that freaking ballot! It’s super easy and everything you need to know is right HERE. So far, 5634 have voted, let’s get another 1000 before 4pm!

Tonight, Gallery at 6pm for the final elimination round results! See you there for copious amounts of beer and hackery.

MIGHTY MORPHIN AMS EXECUTIVE

Also, I know you all think we’re supa kawaii, so don’t forget to vote for us on your ballot and………here in Continuous VFM! We’re at 26% right now, amazing and love love love.

You listen to Paris.

Unobtanium Jello Wrestling!

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Well, the event you were all waiting for has come and gone. No, not The Presidential Debate hosted by Issues That Matter and The Media. Instead, The Unobtanium Jello Wrestling event. Held as a part of Science Week, it conveniently falls during elections and, as such, has become a joyous platform for candidates to campaign upon. In many cases, it is also the determining factor for many students yet to cast their ballot. While the non-hack and non-SUS crowd was meager at best, there were some epic battles.
For all you Noobs out there, the objective of jello wrestling is to remove the sock of your opponent in an inflatable bowl/pool of…green jello.  Needless to say, judicious use of tarps (and athletic garb) are involved.
After the cut, more of this:

god, we wish.

PLUS our exclusive live-action Sean v. Joel EngNerd Death Match—and how this year’s candidates compare to those of years gone by.

Voting for Dummies

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Oh, readers. The things we do for you. I am still hungover from last night’s epic hackfest bzzr garden, and I am trying to understand math. I haven’t voted yet, and was confused on how, exactly, voting worked. Over here at Confidential, we used our cute little smiles to coerce our special analyst into helping our cute little brains.

Confused on voting? Keep reading after the jump for how it works.

Want the News for Noobs version? Here is how to vote.

  1. Research ahead of time (these are the candidates, this is who we want to win, and this is the referendum breakdown)
  2. You are allowed 15 minutes to vote. However, you can save your progress and come back later, with 15 minutes allotted each time you sign back in.
  3. Go here anytime between NOW and January 29
  4. Tell your friends to vote! DO IT! <3

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Sparkle Happy Endorsements 2010

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Is it that time of the year already?? Oh, how the initial campaign period has flown. They’ve impressed us on the fields! They’ve impressed us in the debates! They’ve left numerous messages in our inbox! But now it’s time to separate the cream from the chaff and give you our top picks (not entire Condorcet rankings, we’re not total wonks) for this year’s round of AMS Elections. Get ready, after the jump, for this year’s


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The Sexy Referendum

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We’re trying to make this as simple as possible for you normal, less hacktastic folk out there. We’re not lovers of code either, so bear with us.

When you vote online between January 25-29 (here is how to vote and what to expect), besides choosing candidates (here are our endorsements) you will get to vote YES or NO to 9 questions. We’ll present the questions to you now, with full analysis after the jump.

[Editor’s note: On your ballot, these referenda will be in a different order. We apologize for the confusion.]

1) Do you support the removal of Blake Frederick from the office of President?

2) Do you support the removal of Tim Chu from the office of VP External Affairs?

3) Do you support the AMS establishing a $5.00 refundable Engagement Levy to help improve student engagement by encouraging voter turnout and funding engagement related projects?

4) Do you support indexing the fees of the AMS to the Canadian Core Consumer Price Index?

5) Do you support the amendment of the AMS Bylaws as presented, for the purposes of enabling Student Council to remove an individual from a position as an officer of Council, and other amendments as outlined?

6) Do you support an increase in student fees beginning September 2010 of $1 per part-time student and $2 per full-time student per semester to be directed to the Access UBC Association of Disabled Students for the purpose of increasing accessibility, participation and inclusion for all people with disabilities on campus and in society?

7) Do you support the amendment of the AMS Bylaws as presented, based on the recommendations of a consultant hired to review the operations of Student Court and of a special AMS joint committee, for the purpose of revising the rules concerning Student Court?

8 ) Should the AMS create a voting seat on AMS Council for students with disabilities by amending Bylaw 5.2(a)?

9) Should the AMS actively lobby for reduced tuition fees and increased government funding?

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